If It Had Been A Snake, It Would've Bit Me!
by icecreampuff
Summary: Managing the Seigaku tennis club was never boring. There was always a snake in the grass nearby. Kaidoh/OC
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey guys! been a while, huh? I've had a lot of going for me in recent years. I'm a third year in college now, coming up on my 21st birthday. I got a job and a boyfriend. I was just rewatching Prince of Tennis last night and, well, inspiration struck! Hope y'all enjoy!

Oh! And to avoid confusion, Miki saying "this month's issue" refers to the issue she is writing this month. "Next moth's issue" is the issue she is writing next month. Enjoy!

o - o - o - o - o - o

"Echizen Ryoma?" Oishi parroted after Fuji.

He was telling us all about some freshman as we waited outside the school grounds.

"Have you ever heard of him?" Inui asked.

"Nope."

"From what Momo tells me, he's no ordinary freshman," Fuji continued. Oishi was the next to speak.

"Well if he said so then it must be true."

"Hm."

"If that's the case," He went on. "We should be grateful."

"We'll see."

The short meeting was adjourned, Fuji heading toward his classroom. The rest of us scattered.

At this point, I already know the Seigaku Tennis Club regulars pretty well. After all, I've been managing their team for the last two years! Unlike the rest of them, I don't really play tennis. I do really enjoy watching, though. I'm the manager, so I do things like set up practice games, plan club events, and take care of supplying the team. Whenever I have extra time, I take pictures of the regulars and write articles about important tennis news. One day, I'll become the best tennis photojournalist the world has ever seen!

I struck a deal with the school newspaper. I write the weekly tennis column, and they allow me to use their equipment to produce my own magazine, _Seigaku Tennis Monthly_! Some of the tennis regulars aren't as well liked as others. Specifically, my readers are all afraid of Kaidoh. As manager, I must take care of my club members, but as a writer, I must present the facts. I decided next month's issue will be dedicated to Kaidoh! I'm sure he'd say something like "I don't need fans," but the truth is, cheering fans can turn the tide of a match!

"Kaoru-kun!" I rushed after him before he could get away. He turned back. "I'm doing a special issue on you next month. I want to show readers that you're cool, not scary. You know, so they'll like you more!" I grabbed my camera, always around my neck.

"They don't need to like me." Ah, so predictable.

"Hey, don't worry. It's not like I'm gonna publish your diary or anything, just put a few pics of you up and write a few pieces...You know, food, family, hobbies, tennis, stuff like that."

"Do whatever you want." He glanced away, allowing me to snap a photo. "Fshuuuu."

o - o - o - o - o - o

After class, as always, was club. All the freshmen and sophomore members would be there, including my obtuse younger brother. I knew he'd be causing trouble by the time I showed up.

"If you keep this up, Arai-sama will..." I heard him babble.

The regulars and I walked onto the court in a V formation. We do this every year for dramatic tension.

"Th-They're here!"

Arai Shoji, my younger brother, stopped antagonizing the freshies to watch us. I gave him a sharp look, a look of warning. Everyone's eyes were on us six.

"Cheers!" rang all the court's inhabitants, greeting their senpai. Oishi gave the freshmen orders to go wild with their racquets. After setting down my bag, I hoisted my camera around my neck, getting a few shots of Kaidoh doing his stretches. I looked through the photos, listening absentmindedly to the nearby chatter.

"Hey, it must be him! The captain, Tezuka, who went undefeated!"

"So that's him!"

"He has such a presence."

Fuji called out to Oishi then, and they realized he wasn't Tezuka.

"Doesn't look like he's the captain, Tezuka."

One of my various duties as manager is to keep an eye on the freshmen. I scoped them out, taking pictures of the ones with some potential. Eventually, my viewfinder came upon the freshmen whose conversation I'd been hearing.

" And the manager is said to be like an idol! So that must be her! The fabled Arai Miki!" said the one with an eye-catching unibrow to go with his colorful polo.

"Wow! I can't believe the manager is famous, too!" another said, this one sporting a bowl cut.

"She must be the prettiest girl in the whole school. Maybe she has a fanclub, too?" The third wondered, his head shaved.

"Sure she's pretty, but doesn't her name sound familiar?" This fourth freshie was slouched on a bench, baseball cap covering his eyes.

"Whatever, Ryoma! Who cares about that? Just look at how big her boob- Arai-senpai!" Unibrow stuttered when he saw me approaching them. I smiled sweetly.

"May I ask your names?"

They answered in order as Horio, Kachiro, and Katsuo. I looked expectantly at the fourth, who refrained from speaking.

"Well, if you don't want to tell me your name, I guess I won't be recommending you for a regular spot. Oh well." I started to walk away.

"Echizen Ryoma."

The super freshman makes his debut, huh?

With that info under my belt, I took some quick notes in my memo pad, then I returned to the court with the regulars. Oishi accidentally served a ball too far, but all of us were surprised when little Ryoma returned the ball to its rightful place... with his racquet. I took a burst shot of his return.

"It's unexpectedly simple."

Arai grabbed him and blew up. What am I to do with you, Shoji? Before I could do a single thing, Tezuka calmly interrupted, pinning them both with 20 laps and called for a warm up. I took a few shots of Ryoma running laps. The super freshman would be a good addition to this month's issue.

When they finished their laps, Arai challenged Ryoma to a game with a shitty old racquet. It seemed hopeless at first, but he quickly turned it around.

Ryoma easily embarrassed my poor, misguided brother. I shouted at him after the game ended.

"Arai-kun! I won't tolerate any more of this. On this court, we are all one team. You had better start acting like it."

"But, Nee-san...!" He started.

"I'm not hearing it, Shoji! I expect you'll be running laps for this."

"I expect we all will," Eiji grumbled.

Looking up to Tezuka's favorite classroom, I saw Oishi in the window. He held up one finger. Damn.

"Everyone listen up!" I got the attention of every person on the court. "You're all running ten laps! And yes, I mean every single one of you!"

I looked around. Not everyone was there, meaning someone wasn't running the laps like they should. Kaidoh was missing. I went to get him, assuming he was in the locker room. I quickly went and opened the door, calling out to him.

I stopped dead in my tracks, finding myself with a shirtless and rather sexy snake. It was no surprise to me that he was nicely toned, but a show of bare skin like that can really make a girl think things.

"Ah-sorry! I just came to say uh, Tezuka signed us a map. I mean he made us do wraps! I mean! Laps!" I skittered out of the room. Am I smooth or what?

I hope he's too oblivious to notice my crush on him...which is hopefully not _too_ glaringly obvious.

Being me does have its perks, though. For example, not having to run taps!

I mean laps.


	2. Chapter 2

Come the next day, I was no longer embarrassed about 'the incident.' My mind was on the ranking matches, which started today. And there they were, Ryoma and his posse. They're so cute, the way they think they know how a match will end!

"Ryoma-kun, we're cheering for you!"

"We're counting on you to beat the regular members!"

I was closing in on them when someone hissed nearby. They quieted.

"Hey, freshmen!"

"Yes!"

"Stop slacking off! Now, go!" Kaidoh sure did have a way with words. "Hey."

"Yeah?" Ryoma returned, still standing by.

"Aren't you a freshman?"

"Yes, I'm leaving now. Ooh, scary."

Once we were alone, our eyes met.

"So, Kaoru-kun... I know you do a lot of running. I was hoping I could tag along with you someday and get a few shots," I suggested. He looked happy, yet nervous.

"Yeah, sure. Just don't slow me down."

Ow. Always so cold. Someday soon, I'll break down his barrier. We eat lunch together every day, and he's always called me by my name. Ever since I became manager, though, he's refused to call me Miki unless we're alone.

"Alright, here's my number." I handed him a paper with my cell on it. "You can call me whenever so we can make a date. I mean, decide the date for our meeting." I walked away, shyly stealing a glance over my shoulder. Kaidoh looked down at the paper with a tiny smile. One step closer...

o - o - o - o - o - o

"It's the Seigaku regular jersey!" Horio was saying when I strolled up.

"Is that what it's called? Because, well, I'm wearing one right now." I put on my sweetest voice. "Does that make me a regular, Horio-kun?" I feigned ignorance, tilting my head cutely and putting a finger to my chin.

"Well, no. You're the manager, Arai-senpai! But, you see, for most other teams, the jerseys are only for the regular members, not the manager!"

I giggled. Of course I knew that, silly boy.

"Hey, you three! Shouldn't you be putting up the nets?" Oishi pressed, appearing out of thin air. He and I shared a chuckle as the trio sprinted off.

"Messing with the freshies again, Miki-san? You should know better."

"Ah, but where's the fun in it that, Shuichiro-kun?"

o - o - o - o - o - o

Time finally came for the matches to start.

I took my usual seat on the bench closest to the entrance. I readied my camera and notepad as the crowd began swarming around the fences. It seems many people had heard about our super freshman. Ryoma entered the courts first, being greeted by his three pals. Kaidoh was next, very nicely requesting that the four excuse him so that he could get by.

If only.

He and Ryoma stood there, fighting already through their stares.

"Kaoru, Ryoma! Get to the court, please," I urged them. Kaidoh continued to his court, knowing by my tone that it was not a request. I perused my written schedule of the matches. Inui, Kaidoh, and Ryoma were all in D block. The readers will love this! I should use this to promote Kaidoh as next month's focus. Two young girls came to stand behind the fence by my bench. I'd seen them before.

"Hello there. I've noticed you two coming around lately. I'm the manager, Arai Miki," I introduced myself.

"Ah, hello! My name is Ryuzaki Sakuno, and this is Tomoka-chan," The girl with braids said, bowing politely.

"Arai... Miki?" Tomoka repeated. "Ah! You write _Seigaku Tennis Monthly_! I'm a huge fan!"

"Haha, I'm glad! I'm training to be a tennis reporter, so it's good practice, right?"

"A reporter?" Sakuno piped up. "You should meet our friends! They're both tennis reporters!"

"Really? I've got to meet them!"

o - o - o - o - o - o

"Ryoma-kun is playing well. It's amazing to beat someone without losing any games."

"Shiba-san, Inoue-san, this is my friend Arai Miki. We just met, but she's the manager of the Seigaku Tennis Club."

"It's a pleasure to meet you! I hope you don't mind, but this is last month's issue of my school tennis magazine, if you would give it a chance?" I bowed, thrusting out my copy of the issue at Shiba and Inoue. Shiba took it from my hands and flipped through it.

"I do my best to produce this magazine in anticipation of becoming a tennis reporter myself! It's my dream to cover all the best players!"

"Wow! It's very professional. These pictures are phenomenal, and your writing isn't half bad!" She praised.

"You mean it?" I looked up. I couldn't help but notice the clock mounted on the wall. "Please excuse me. Kaidoh's match is about to start. Please enjoy the game!" I rushed back to my spot to watch Kaidoh and Ryoma face off.

"What a delightful girl! It's not everyday you meet a kid that polite."

All eyes were on Kaidoh as he took his stance. His determination stole the breath from the crowd. The highly anticipated match of the day was finally underway, Ryoma making the first serve.

I took as many pictures as I could of Kaidoh and Ryoma's volley, hurriedly relocating to the side of the court for a better shot. I got a great shot of the ball landing directly on the net. On his serve, Kaidoh started a volley, then dropped his arms.

"That's it, Kaoru! Snake!" I cheered to myself as I took several photos of Kaidoh in action. During a short pause, I took down some notes regarding Ryoma's returns and the crowd's reactions. Suddenly, Ryoma switched over to his left hand. I scribbled down in giant letters, "SOUTHPAW."

o - o - o - o - o - o

Just as I thought Ryoma was falling prey to the Viper, the tables turned! Ryoma was hitting low and deep, making Kaidoh bend his knees over and over. To see a snake dosed with its own poison... the readers would eat this up for sure! However, I felt a little guilty. Ryoma was racking up points and not a single person in the audience was rooting for Kaidoh.

I put my hands around my mouth.

"Kaoru-kun, FIGHT!"

The two players faltered the slightest bit, but kept up the pace.

"You can do it, Kaoru-kun!"

I went back and forth between cheering and photographing. The crowd was stunned when another snake was hit, but this time by Ryoma! It seems he's already figured out Kaidoh's technique!

Or so I thought, but Ryoma revealed he had read about it by complete coincidence. Kaidoh still refused to give in, his bandana drifting to the ground as he reached for the ball. He missed, giving Ryoma the set. The orange swatch of paisley Kaidoh wore fluttered down by my feet. The cheers were unreal. I gingerly picked up the bandana, my eyes trained on the man it belonged to. Kaidoh was beating his own knee with his racquet. Even after he stopped, he wouldn't shake Ryoma's hand, saying only "I refuse to give up my spot."

When he retreated to the lockers, I chased after him, knowing he would miss his mantle. I didn't make the same mistake as last time, knocking on the door before entering.

"Kaoru-kun... Are you alright? You left your bandana." I spoke softly, hoping not to agitate him. He was sitting on the bench facing his clothing cubby. I walked over to the first aid kit, removing an instant cold pack. I squeezed it and shook it to activate the chemicals. It became cool to the touch.

"You know, I think you're amazing." There was no reply. "Thats why I'm doing a special on you. I want everyone to see how cool you are, to see that you're a great tennis player, so they can see the Kaoru I see. You're a great guy, and I think if people knew, they would appreciate you like I do. I'll be going to watch the matches now." I pushed the ice pack and kercheif into his hands, causing him to grab them. "Please take care of your knee properly."

I licked my lips, mouth dry from my nerves, then left. I still have all those articles to write, after all those matches I have to watch.

o - o - o - o - o - o

A/N: That's all for now! I've got to go get ready for work. I won't be back till 9:30 est, but I'll try my best to keep the updates going! Please review and let me know what you think!

EDIT: (i didn't actually have to work... oops.)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey so, turns out I don't work today! ^u^; As of now, I don't have a beta reader. It's just me, so if you see any mistakes, please let me know!

Also, I figured it might be confusing that Miki refers to everyone by first name, so I'll make a little list here! Last name first!

Kaidoh Kaoru

Tezuka Kunimitsu

Echizen Ryoma

Momoshiro Takeshi

Kawamura Takashi

Fuji Shusuke

Inui Sadaharu

Kikumaru Eiji

Oishi Shuichiro

Hope you all enjoy!

o - o - o - o - o - o

The next few days were dominated by ranking matches. It went by quickly, as things tend to do when you're as busy as I was. After the ranking matches had ended, I spent the rest of the week either shadowing Kaidoh or editing this month's issue. It was going well. This issue is set to come out on the first Wednesday of next month, so I would be able to write about all the matches this month. I covered the ranking matches and the results already, so I started brainstorming ways to promote Kaidoh's special in this magazine. I would go in-depth on Kaidoh's matches then, so I teased the readers with sneak peeks of next month's features. The introduction pages will be about how he plays tennis and his matches last year. That way they could really understand how far he's come.

Next I looked through my photos for ideas. No matter how many I had taken, none of them were quite good enough. These pictures show the Kaidoh everyone is afraid of, but what I need is the Kaidoh that made me like him. I need pictures of Kaidoh's happy face, or relaxed face, or any face that makes him seem human, instead of beast.

o - o - o - o - o - o

Today is the day! Our first tournament game of the year! I hoped this would give me the opening I'd been waiting for.

"So, Ryoma-kun and Takeshi-kun in doubles one. Kunimitsu-kun, what do you know about this?" I prepared my camera and memo pad for the upcoming matches while questioning Tezuka.

"They volunteered," was all he said, preferring to watch the match.

The day had only just begun, but already Momoshiro and Ryoma's fragile balance was being tested. I wasn't sure how long they could keep this up. Thankfully, I was worried over nothing. They won the game for us, but Ryuzaki-sensei punished them for their ugly doubles. Momoshiro and Ryoma kneeled on the ground in front of our bench.

"You know, I bet my readers would _love_ to see you two on your knees like this... maybe I should publish a picture?" I looked through my camera, but it wasn't pointed at them. I kept it locked on Kaidoh. He smiled a tiny bit, probably amused by the idea of embarrassing Momoshiro, and I clicked. Kaidoh snapped his gaze to me. The doubles-without-doubles pair looked back, thinking I photographed them.

"Kaoru-kun always has a mean expression, so capturing the true faces of the viper is my goal for the next issue!" I giggled, giving them a proper explanation. They laughed, despite their position.

"Fshuu..."

o - o - o - o - o - o

Soon enough, all the matches had ended, Seigaku winning every one! Lunch break started, and Kaidoh was the first to leave. He always does that before a game. Says he goes to "psych himself up." Since Inui lost his regular spot last week, he and I went to check up on the competition. The strangest thing happened. Kakinoki Junior High lost every point and every game in order. Fudomine absolutely destroyed them, it was nothing like last year.

"Sadaharu-kun, what was the likelihood of this happening?"

"2.01 percent, Arai-san."

o - o - o - o - o - o

Inui could barely keep up. Even though he was a shocking 184cm(6') to my measly 155cm(5'1"), he had to jog to keep pace with my fast walk. I was determined to get to the others and share the information we gathered.

"Arai...!" Inui huffed, starting to run.

"Guys!" I said firmly, rushing up to my club. "We need to talk. It's about Fudomine, Sadaharu-kun and I just watched their game."

I had everyone's full attention now.

"The Fudomine we saw last year is gone. You need to forget what you knew, because this year they are a completely new beast."

"That's right," Inui added. "All the members are new regulars, except for the second year captain. The key factor of their success is the masterful leadership of their captain, Tachibana Kippei. Also, the six unknown second year members beat Kakinoki in straight sets."

There was a lull before Fuji offered pensively, "The final... doesn't seem to be easy."

"The truth is, we don't know anything about Fudomine anymore. You all must treat them like serious challengers, or we _will_ lose."

Horio sprung out in defense of Seigaku.

"But if it's Seigaku, there should be no problem against a beginner. We'll crush them and win the tournament."

His friend nudged him.

"It's okay, let me talk." Horio crossed his arms. "Seigaku can't lose to unknown, unseeded players!"

His friend nudged him again.

"What is it? You're annoying," He started, but quickly quieted when he saw Fudomine's regulars standing behind him.

Tachibana and Tezuka locked eyes. The atmosphere was tense, but it only resulted in a handshake and a "let's have a good match."

As the team wandered off, one of their regulars bounced a ball on the side of his racquet. Of course, our favorite Ochibi-chan couldn't leave well enough alone. He copied the regular, showing him up by drinking Ponta at the same time.

"After playing doubles and sitting out as a substitute, he's got a lot of stress bottled up," helpfully inferred Inui.

"He almost reminds me of you, Kaoru-kun." I set up my shot as I spoke, practice fueling my actions. Kaidoh looked shocked, then closed his eyes, blushing lightly. I snapped a shot before he could hide it.

o - o - o - o - o - o

Although we forfeited the first match due to Kawamura's injury, by the second we were picking up speed again. Eiji and Oishi aren't called "The Golden Pair" for nothing. The sky was turning cloudy and thunder was sounding.

"Kaidoh, it's time you should start warming up. Next match is between Kamio and you," Inui suggested. Kaoru, ever the perfect kouhai, obeyed his senpai. And wherever Kaidoh goes, I follow. "And bring back Echizen if you see him."

"Me?!"

"He's probably wandering around somewhere. Looking after the lower grades is also a senpai's responsibility." Inui said this teasingly. I snapped a flawless shot of Kaidoh's surprised face. He grunted and walked off.

I dutifully trailed behind him. I was flipping through my notes and writing down possible blurbs for the photo, so I didn't even noticed when Kaidoh stopped walking.

"Whoa!" I bumped into his back and started to fall back. Before I hit the ground, Kaidoh wrapped his arm around my waist, tugging me back up against him. I blushed a bit and stood stock still, even when he let go and walked away sheepishly. What a gentleman... even when his ears are turning red.

"Hey. You got a problem with our freshman?" Kaidoh's deep voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Hey, stop right there!" A young red-headed girl ran between the warring boys. She seemed to know Kamio and Shinji, as they listened to her and returned to the court. She turned to Ryoma.

"For a guy who's always cool, you're pretty susceptible to provocation. Not that I don't find it entertaining."

None of us knew who this girl was, but she seemed to know us. She offered us some good info.

"Kamio-kun is a player that matches up well against you, Kaidoh-kun."

I didn't like the way she was so casual with Kaidoh. She should be calling him Kaidoh-san! When the rain started falling, she freaked and ran off. Turning to Ryoma, Kaidoh and I scolded him in unison.

"Stop wandering around places like this!"

o - o - o - o - o - o

A/N: Hope you guys like it so far! This story is actually really old. I wrote the first version years ago, but last night I was cleaning up my home and ran into some old notebooks. I read it and decided to give it another go! I suppose its fun to write because of the few Prince of Tennis dating games that were translated. I thought it was weird because I've never seen another anime with its own licensed dating game. Its nice to get tidbits of information about them in a scenario thats not tennis, but an otome game! Anyways, please review and let me know what you think! I always respond, and no review goes unappreciated! Until the next one~


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm outside typing right now. I'm smoking a cigarette so i'm sitting on my back porch typing my candlelight. Have you guys ever written by candlelight? Answer in a review! Have fun~

o - o - o - o - o - o

Doubles one ended uneventfully. Oishi and Eiji brought back the win, but the rain refused to lighten.

"Senpai, you're next."

They all sat and waited for the referees' decision. Ryuzaki-sensei and I walked to the benches after discussing it with the ref.

"It seems they want to wait and see. Can you wait a bit longer, Kaoru-kun?"

"O-of course, Arai-senpai," he replied.

"Kaoru- _chan_! Didn't I tell you not to be so stiff with me? You should do what your senpai tells you to, right? Call me Miki-chan!" I slid up next to him, close enough for our shoulders to touch.

"Yes, M-Miki-chan!" Kaidoh relented, jumping away from my touch. I can tell he's embarrassed, but who could blame me if I went a little further?

"There you go! Really, though, I should be calling _you_ senpai when it comes to tennis. Right, _Kaoru-senpai_?"

"Che!" Kaidoh skulked into the rain, probably going to cool his face.

"I wonder where Kaidoh-senpai is going?" I heard Horio comment from behind. I turned around to face him.

"Don't worry about it," assured Momoshiro.

"That's right. Kaoru-kun lost his tension, thats all. To play his tennis, Kaoru-kun needs tension," I agreed.

"Momo-chan-senpai! Arai-senpai!" the trio shouted. "Tension?" one of them asked.

"Kaidoh was raising his fighting spirit while watching the other matches. But it was disrupted by the rain," Momoshiro supplied. "Speaking of tension... Miki-senpai, what's with the _tension_ between you and Kaidoh?" He was wiggling his brows.

"I-I did what I did to help Kaoru-kun raise his tension!" I was getting defensive, and he knew it.

"Oh? Is that why you blushed whenever he called your name?"

"Takeshi-kun!"

o - o - o - o - o - o

The rain clouds parted, allowing the sun to shine through.

"Looks like the match is going to start," observed Oishi. "Where did Kaidoh go?"

"Ah, he just went to do some image training, Shuichiro-kun. He'll be back." I sat on the bench between Ryoma and Tezuka, waiting for Kaidoh to return.

"You're late, Mr. Singles 3," Ryoma crowed. "Try your best."

Getting his racquet from his bag, Kaidoh rose and growled, "I don't need to take mouth from you."

"Hey, Kaidoh," scolded Tezuka. "Your opponent isn't Echizen."

"Yes."

"Kaoru-kun, you can do it!" I cheered as he took his place on the court.

 _"Singles 3. Seigaku's Kaidoh. Fudomine's Kamio."_

"Yo, your nickname is Viper, right?" Kamio sneered. "It's a perfect fit for you." Kaidoh swung his racquet at him.

"Kaidoh, stop!" cried Oishi. Kamio dodged the hit by a hair, but the referee had taken notice.

"What are you guys doing?!" He barked. Kaidoh turned his glare on the ref.

"KAIDOH-KUN!" I yelled out, demanding subservience. He instantly dropped the attitude. His head swiveled around to look at me. I almost never need to raise my voice with the regulars, but they knew when I meant business. Kaidoh apologized properly to the referee.

o - o - o - o - o - o

"It's going to be a rough match." Horio slumped over by the barrier.

"They're both scary," murmured Katsuo. I turned and slipped over to the group, perching myself on the half wall fencing.

"Katsuo- _chan_?" I put on my purest grin and my most sugary tone. "Did I hear you correctly? Because, I thought I heard you say that sweet old Kaoru-chan is scary... You wouldn't say that, right?" I unzipped my regular jersey and leaned into his space.

"Um, well-"

"You see, Katsuo- _chan,_ I would be really sad if the club members weren't supportive of _all_ of their teammates. You don't want to make me sad, do you Katsuo-chan?"

"No ma'am, Arai-senpai!" He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"That means I can count on you to cheer for Kaoru-chan, right? Because if you don't, you might break my _heart_..." For emphasis, and to get my way, I used my arms to push my breasts together. The poor boys looked ready to either come in his shorts or piss them.

"Yes ma'am!" The freshman trio saluted me at once.

"Thanks, boys!" I hopped off, waved, and strutted back to my seat.

"Arai-senpai..." Ryoma groaned. "I wasn't aware you were so cunning."

"Yeah, you really put the moves on those poor freshmen!" cackled Momoshiro, Fuji peering around him from his spot at the bench.

"You should be nicer to the lower grades, Miki-san," Fuji chimed.

"Whatever do you mean? I _was_ nice to them!"

o - o - o - o - o - o

Kamio was way too fast, truly one of the worst match-ups possible. Kaidoh lost the first two points.

"Kaoru, fight!" I cheered, drawing out the words for extra oomph. On the third serve, Kaidoh slipped on the wet court, falling face first into the muddy water.

"Kaoru-kun!" I worried. The others were not untouched by our friend's plight. The fourth serve was when it happened. Kaidoh slipped, but still managed to return the ball. I took a burst shot. The ball flew around the pole and landed in Kamio's court. The ref called it in!

"Awesome, Kaoru-kun! Keep it up!" I exclaimed. "You're amazing!" The freshman and Inui started calling it the "boomerang snake." It was an instant hit. Everyone was cheering on Kaidoh!

"You can squash this guy, no problem! Woohoo! Go, Kaoru-chan!" I looked back, feeling a hand on my shoulder. "Ryoma-kun?"

"Arai-senpai, I think your cheers are getting to Kaidoh-senpai. He seems embarrassed."

Momoshiro guffawed in agreement, holding his stomach. "Haha, he's right, Miki-senpai! Look at how red Viper's face is!"

After that, I toned it down in the cheerleading department. Kamio hit a quick-motion serve, taking the first match point. Kaidoh tried to plow through with the boomerang snake, but it kept hitting out. During the break to switch courts, Ryuzaki-sensei mentored him from the sidelines.

"Kaidoh, what kind of tennis do you play?"

The game restarted and Ryuzaki-sensei's words seemed to refuel Kaidoh. He was still going, but Kamio was starting to show signs of fatigue. If Kaidoh lets him get one point, he'll lose. He kept the match locked in a back and forth deuce, denying Kamio any breathers. As I watched, Inui spoke out.

"10Km of jogging in the morning. 10Km of jogging after club activity. 10Km of jogging at night. 3 sets of shuttle runs, 50 runs each set. 150 push ups," Inui pronounced.

"Are you saying that's what Kaidoh does every day?" Oishi sputtered, impressed.

"Yup."

Besides Inui, the designer of Kaidoh's menu, no other members knew what his workout routine was. This new fact was telling. I never knew how hard Kaidoh really pushed himself. No wonder he kept going. No wonder he didn't slow down or get tired. What a guy! He returned every ball with a snake, snatching the advantage, then the game!

"He did it!"

"Hooray!"

"Kaoru-kun! You're the best!" He trudged back to the bench after he shook hands with Kamio. "Sit." He did so, sitting in the spot I had occupied previously. I took off my jersey, leaving me in just my tank top. Kaidoh diverted his eyes shyly. I squirted some water from my bottle onto my jacket and used it to clean the mud off Kaidoh's face.

"A-Arai-senpai, you don't have to... I mean, it's no trouble to do it myself. Theres no need for you to... you know." He was mumbling the way he does when he's embarrassed.

"You worked hard. Let your manager take care of you now," I assured. "You deserve a rest, so rest!"

o - o - o - o - o - o

Ryoma's tennis was strong, especially after he switched to his left hand.

"They're ignoring the pace of the game completely," remarked Inui. Kaidoh responded, sitting closest to where Inui stood.

"He's not a guy who'd concern himself with that."

"You're right. Either way, it'll provide me with better data."

When Inui looked over at us, I was using the clean parts of my jersey to dry Kaidoh's hair. Both of them turned red.

"Kaidoh," Inui probed. "Why are you blushing?"

"Inui-senpai... The real question here is why _you're_ blushing," Kaidoh sneered, a tone I had never heard him use with Inui.

"Kaoru-kun, if you don't let me finish drying your hair, you'll catch cold. Behave," I teased. "Why are you two blushing, anyway?"

Kaidoh tensed, turning to push me back a touch. "I can... feel your chest on my back," he stammered.

"Eh?" I hadn't even realized! "I'm so sorry, Kaidoh-san!" I stood up stiffly and bowed deeply. Momoshiro's voice from my rear was appreciative.

"Uwahh~ Miki-senpai's panties! Sexy~"

I shot up and spun around. I backed up, only to stumble into Kaidoh. We fell back, his hands gripping my waist to catch me. The force of the landing jostled us both, Kaidoh's palms accidentally causing my shirt to ride up. I froze.

"Sorry!" Kaidoh yelped, pulling his hands away. I picked myself up, but the same could not be said for my dignity.

"I'm very sorry, Kaidoh-san!" I squawked, scrambling away to the restrooms. I charged through the door and steadied myself over the sink. I hesitantly raised my eyes to meet identical chocolate irises. They trailed over my form. Cleavage out. Toned shoulders bared. Lean biceps on display.

Honey brown strands covered my shoulders, held out of my eyes by the headband that matches my brother's. My tanned skin was flushed red in my face. My tank was straining to contain my ample cleavage. My shirt had ridden up to the bottom of my ribcage. Did I really show Kaidoh such a face? Did I let Kaidoh see the desperate looking girl in the mirror? I turned on the tap and splashed cold water on my face until I felt better. I switched the faucet off.

"Calm down, Miki. It was just an accident. Could've happened to anybody." I pulled my shirt to cover my chest and stomach, smoothed out my skirt, and stood up straight. "Go get em, tiger!" I winked at myself in the mirror.

o - o - o - o - o - o

A/N: That's all for today, folks! I'm almost out of prewritten chapters, so you may not hear from me tomorrow. Goodnight all!


	5. Chapter 5

A/n: I know it's been a few days since I posted but I'm still going strong! Hopes ya'll enjoy, as always!

o - o - o - o - o - o

I felt better. I couldn't let my personal feelings interfere with my work. As a member of the team, I needed to be present during matches. I hurried back, stopping to grab two Pocari Sweats from a vending machine. This would make a good apology gift. When I returned, I offered Kaidoh the drink silently. He accepted it gently, head bowed in thanks. I'm pretty sure that's Kaidoh's way of showing that I've been forgiven.

It seemed I'd returned rather late. Ryuzaki-sensei was bandaging Ryoma's eye. His racquet had broken and hit his eye, but he planned to continue the match.

Tezuka handed Ryoma his spare.

"10 minutes... 10 minutes, if it isn't decided by then, you'll forfeit."

"Kunimitsu-kun," I asserted. "You know what happens when you play with an injury. If anything happens, I'm holding you accountable."

"As you should, Arai. It was my choice to let him continue."

"It wasn't the smartest choice. Are you really the genius I think you are?"

"I hope so."

o - o - o - o - o - o

"Ah~ what a relief! Good job, Ochibi!" I congratulated, grabbing his cap and shuffling it around on his head. The Seigaku team was walking together, going to the locker rooms.

"Arai-senpai," he said, his brim covering his eyes. "For you to call me that... Aren't you only a bit taller than me?"

"Wha- Jerk! Respect your elders and betters, punk!" I raised my fist. As we walked, Ryoma fell off, sticking around to talk to Shinji.

I waited outside when we reached the locker rooms. I hadn't brought a change of clothes since I wasn't playing. I shivered. It was a little chilly out for this time of year. It must've been because of the rain. I felt a jacket drape around my shoulders.

"Ah, Kaidoh-san! I-I'm fine, here your jacket-" I tried to return it to him, but he refused.

"No, it's the least I can do. You're cold because you used your jacket to help me. It's my responsibility."

"But, it was my prerogative, because I wanted to help you, so you don't have to-"

"Miki, please." Kaidoh took a deep breath. "It's my pleasure. And, would you go back to... calling me by my name?" He mumbled the last part, but he was close enough that I could hear it clearly. I smiled.

Kaidoh wanted me to know there are no hard feelings. He still wants to be friends. He likes when I call him by his name and he appreciates what I did.

"Of course, Kaoru-kun!"

o - o - o - o - o - o

A/N: Okay guys, sorry this one was short! Its almost 1 am... I'll see you soon! Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Kaidoh and I waited for the others to finish. When they came out, we strolled to Kawamura Sushi together. I sat at the last table next to Kaidoh. Out of the whole team, we were the two that enjoyed eating the most. When eating a delicious meal, it's impossible for me not to be happy. Kaidoh and I often eat lunch together at school, even though we're in different classes. I became the manager in my first year, but Kaidoh had never called me "Miki" when others were around. I didn't tell him that I was an upperclassman either. He didn't know until the middle of his first year. After that, he started calling me "Arai-senpai," even though I hated it. He's too polite around me. It feels more distant between us since then.

I enjoy eating next to Kaidoh. I've never seen him more calm than when he's eating fresh food made with love. I think he can taste the feelings that the chef made it with. As the restaurant rumbled with energy around us, we quietly enjoyed our dinner. It felt like we were having dinner together after work. I imagined preparing a meal, Kaidoh coming in the door. He'd say, "I'm home!" and I would welcome him home with a kiss. Too bad it's just a fantasy!

When the celebration ended, everyone went their separate ways. My brother said he wanted to walk home with his friends, so I resigned myself to walking home by myself.

"Haa... Looks like I'm going home alone... again," I huffed indignantly. Shoji and I used to be close, before middle school. I thought he might've been going through a rebellious phase.

"Miki, would you mind some company?" I spun around. Kaidoh stood there, looking down. "I mean, it's dangerous for a girl to walk home alone, and at this time of night..." He trailed off.

"Please, I would love the company of a big, strong man like you to keep me safe!"

He blushed as I wrapped my arm around his.

He didn't protest. We shared small talk on the way and during the train ride. We lived close enough that he dropped me off at my door. We exchanged goodbyes, and he went on his way.

o - o - o - o - o - o

That Sunday, Kaidoh and I had arranged to meet up for a run. He said that this would be the best day to meet.

I was in my athletic attire today. I looked in the mirror, checking my appearance once more. Headband? Check. Tank top? Check. Cute skirt? Check. Bike shorts? Check. I tied up my long brown hair, trotting out of my room and down the stairs.

"Shoji! Mama! Papa! I'm going out!" I called to my family, slipping on my running shoes and heading out the door. I did some light stretches before jogging over to Kaidoh's place. As I neared my destination, I spotted Kaidoh stretching his muscles before his workout.

"Kaoru-kun!" I called, waving.

"Oh, Miki, good morning."

"Morning!"

With little talk, we started our run.

"How long has it been since you started running daily, Kaoru-kun?"

"Hmm... Maybe two years? It feels like longer," He commented.

"And what do you eat to start your day?" I jotted down his answer in my notebook.

"Yogurt and fruit, usually. The fruit helps to provide antioxidants and vitamins, as well as refresh you for the day to come. Yogurt contains lots of protein, good bacteria, and vitamins. The amino acids in it can help repair muscle after exercise."

"Wow! A well thought-out answer. Kaoru-kun, you must be very conscious of the things you put into your body." There's more to the story here, I can smell it. Kaidoh sneezed. "Haha, someone must be talking about you."

"Yeah... And yes, I think about my intake a lot. If you don't eat right, your body won't grow right. Eating well is a big part of your health."

"Ah, so that's your secret? I'll eat better so that I can grow as tall as you, Kaoru-kun!" He knew I was teasing. I would never be as tall as him. He was only 14 and already 173cm (5'8") to my 155cm (5'1"). It went on like this until we encountered a bump in the road, so to speak. It goes without saying that trouble equals Momoshiro.

As we turned a corner, a roller skater bumped into Kaidoh, tangling him up and tripping him. Momoshiro then went right over him on a bike. Someone ran over him right after. Kamio? What's going on?

"Kaoru!" I rushed to help him up, but before I could, a purse fell out of the sky, dropping right onto his head and bouncing onto his back, knocking him back to the ground.

"My handbag!"

"You! Come to the police station!"

"What?!"

o - o - o - o - o - o

"I'm sorry for the trouble." The policeman dipped his head slightly in a bow.

"I'm really sorry..." said the woman. Kaidoh and I walked off, going back to our run.

"Goodness... I told them I was with you the whole time!"

"...And he was a bit older. Not a cute kid like him," the woman could be heard saying as we walked. Kaidoh missed a step, stopping for a moment, then continued on, blushing. We jogged back around the smaller streets in town. It was going fine. I was taking pictures of him, but one of the shots was a handbag hitting his face.

"Oh my gosh! Kaoru, are you okay?"

A coffee can landed upsidedown on his head.

We ended up returning to the police station to return the handbag. The officer and the old woman thanked us as we made our way back to the streets we were running on.

"These days, it's rare to see a nice young couple like them."

"Doing good deeds, he's going to grown up to be a fine man."

"Yes, he's the type of man I'd like my granddaughter to end up with! Too bad he's already with that nice young girl."

Kaidoh and I stopped, both blushing at the assumption that we were in a relationship.

We kept running, getting back to the suburbs, when a tennis ball flew smack dab into Kaidoh's face.

"Kaoru! You alright?" I crouched next to him. He stood up, marching forward with determination.

"You... You bastard!" I heard Kaidoh shout from the end of the alley. I ran ahead to catch up with him. Kawamura had the infamous purse-snatcher in his grasp while Eiji was attempting to hold back Kaidoh.

"Just because of this guy... my date was ruined!" Kaidoh growled, jumping out of Eiji's arms. Eiji was distracted by Momoshiro showing up. Kaidoh was trying top get at the roller skater, Kawamura desperately trying to keep the man away from Kaidoh who would undoubtedly beat him up. Did Kaidoh think of this as a date? I mean, it was technically a date, but I didn't know he actually _wanted_ to go on a date with me...

"Kaoru-kun!" I grabbed onto Kaidoh's arm. He stilled his rampage. "It's okay! If you want, we could always... go on another date?" I held my breath, hoping I hadn't misread the situation.

"I-I would like that." He was smiling.

o - o - o - o - o - o

A/N: Alright guys, that's all I have written right now. I'm going on vacation on Saturday and I won't be back for three weeks. I'll try my best to keep writing, but don't expect many updates for the next few weeks. There might be one or two, but I'll mostly be spending time with my family. I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter, and if you did, please leave a review! See you guys soon!


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